


Surrender

by sourweather



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Anxiety, Fear, Fear of Betrayal, Fear of Rejection, First Kiss, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, M/M, Post-Canon, hannibal is afraid will is going to kill him, hannibal lecter is an idiot, he cant read the room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 12:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30139779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sourweather/pseuds/sourweather
Summary: Physically, Hannibal was stronger, smarter, more experienced with less to lose. But he knew that he would never be able to kill Will Graham. He would sooner kneel at the man's feet, turning his face to the heavens so Will could slash his throat more cleanly.He didn't fear the possibility being killed by Will. He didn't fear death at all.He feared the moments before. The moment when he'd see Will draw his blade with intent. The dispassionate darkness that would envelop those gorgeous blue eyes. The way Will would mock him for being so willing to give his life up, without even a fight.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 10
Kudos: 126
Collections: The best of Hannigram





	Surrender

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to try another take on Hannibal's POV. Hes so smitten I love him,,,,

Hannibal sat on the ratty little sofa, reading a weathered classic he'd found tucked away. Or trying to, at least. He'd been relieved to see the long-abandoned house so close to the shore- luck had a habit of favoring him, he wouldn't dare look her gifts in the mouth- but it had started to feel suffocating. He'd exchanged one prison for another, it seemed. He would leave as soon as he was able, to one of his properties abroad. 

He could leave now, if he wanted. It might be smarter to. 

He tried to refocus himself on the faded pages before him, to distract himself from the thoughts that had encapsulated him. It was fruitless. 

He could leave. Should, even. But he wouldn't leave, not alone. His heart was being foolish, once again. 

Will had pushed them both from that cliff, a last-ditch effort to claim Hannibal's life. He'd spent years trying to kill Hannibal, to hurt him. There was no reason for him to believe it would be any different now, that the feelings he'd felt on that cliffside were any more than wishful thinking. And yet he'd pulled Will from the water all the same, tended to him all the same. Hannibal sighed to himself, placing his face into his hands. 

To his detriment, he was in love with Will Graham. It poisoned his thinking, made him irrational and reckless at the very sight of him. He knew this to be true. He'd allowed himself to be caught- something he'd fought tooth and nail to avoid for decades- for Will. He wanted Will to come looking for him, to seek him out. His imprisonment, a symbol of his unwavering devotion. And in the end, Will only came when he had nowhere else to turn. 

He still doesn't regret surrendering. He wished he did. But he'd been there, when Will needed him. Just like he was now. No matter how much pain or suffering he endured at Will's feet, he was powerless to turn himself away. 

A thought that had been revolving through his mind like a planet came back to him, completing another journey around the sun. 

If Will tried to kill him again, he wouldn't be able to fight. 

Physically, Hannibal was stronger, smarter, more experienced with less to lose. But he knew that he would never be able to kill Will Graham. He would sooner kneel at the man's feet, turning his face to the heavens so Will could slash his throat more cleanly. 

He didn't fear the possibility being killed by Will. He didn't fear death at all. 

He feared the moments before. The moment when he'd see Will draw his blade with intent. The dispassionate darkness that would envelop those gorgeous blue eyes. The way Will would mock him for being so willing to give his life up, without even a fight. 

"Hannibal?" 

He froze in place, more afraid than he'd ever been in his life. For once, he was faced with a challenge he didn't feel confident he could overcome. Will's voice had sounded frightened as it resonated through the shell of their temporary safe house. Hannibal longed for him, but couldn't bring himself to face him. 

"Hannibal!" He called again, panic coloring the edges of his voice. Hannibal could hear movement in Will's makeshift bedroom, and moved to find him. 

Despite his terror, Hannibal felt his heart tighten when he entered the room. Will was trying to stand, grimacing. His gaze darted upwards at Hannibal's approach, paranoia giving way almost instantly to relief and then- blessed be his eyes- he saw Will smile. 

"Don't strain yourself, Will. You need to rest." 

Will relaxed somewhat, gave up on leaving the bed for the time being. 

"It's you." 

"Of course. Who were you expecting?" 

Will swallowed, the answer held heavy in the air. 

"By the time Jack Crawford thinks to come here for clues," Hannibal said, assuaging the fears that Will would not give voice to. "This place will not contain a trace of us." 

Hannibal moved to sit on the edge of Will's bed. The other man hadn't tried to attack yet, which was encouraging. He didn't even look bitter. But Will had made a fool of Hannibal before. 

"As soon as you have recovered from your injuries, I plan on leaving this country entirely." 

Will nodded. "Sounds like a plan, where are we going?" 

Hannibal's heart skipped against his will at the other man's implication. He truly was a fool, that the simple inclusion of the word 'we' could set his soul alight. 

But it's only natural. Will is inexperienced at covering his tracks. This is just like before, he has nowhere else to turn. Nothing more. 

"I'm open to suggestions, but I was considering my Villa in Argentina. Three years in prison has me yearning for the sun on my face." 

Will winced when he spoke. 

"Feeling alright, Will? I did the best that I could with your wounds, but I confess that I-" 

"I'm fine, Hannibal," He said. "Just...guilty. I've done a lot of things that I regret. It just becomes a lot to carry, sometimes." 

"You have nothing to feel guilty for, Will," Hannibal said, though the sentiment sent affection stabbing into his stomach. Lord help him, he was weak for this boy. 

Will seemed nervous. "No?" 

"This is the first day of your life. You haven't committed any sins yet to be remorseful of. When we rose from the sea, we were both reborn." 

"Our wickedness washed away," Will said, a smile tugging at his cheek. "Like a baptism." 

"Precisely." 

Will's smile faded in record time, leaving Hannibal to feel cold in its wake. Will's brow furrowed, eyes focused on the middle distance. 

"I threw us both off of a cliff." He said, like it was new information. 

"Yes I know, I was there." 

"We fell into the ocean." 

"Will, I worry that your detective skills may have been impaired by your injuries-" 

Will swallowed. "You pulled me out of the water. You brought me here, you fixed me up. You waited for me to get better before you left." 

"Well, I'd already come this far, I could hardly abandon you." 

Will's eyes refocused, staring back into his own. That blue. That vibrant, lively blue. There was a softness to them that Hannibal rarely saw. 

"You saved my life." 

Hannibal smiled, letting it raise the skin near his eyes and praying it lent some measure of warmth to his own gaze. "I wouldn't have followed any other course of action." 

Will nodded again, eyes flicking away to the window. "Argentina sounds good. It's always so grey here." 

Hannibal imagined it- the sight of Will Graham, kissed by the sun. Finally able to bloom, under proper care and environment, blossoming into something more precious than he'd ever known. 

"Will," He said, and the gravity of his tone shocked both of them. He tried to soften it, but it still sounded severe in his own ears. "If you're going to come with me, there's something I need to say." 

"'If'?" Will echoed, a little hurt. 

Hannibal ignored his question, moving toward his point. "When the time comes- and it will- that someone comes looking for us, you have to run. Do you understand?" 

Will's eyes looked glassy, wounded. "No." 

"I'm serious, Will. No matter who they are, how confident you are that we'll be able to take them down or evade them, you have to run. Run and don't look back." 

Will shook his head. "I'm not leaving you." 

It sounded so true in his ears. Painfully true. Hannibal ached to hear that again. To hear it on repeat and listen until it became a background noise that hummed through his brain. "You found me in Italy. If I get away, we can find one another again." 

"You're planning on stalling for me. Buying me enough time to get away." He said. Maybe his detective skills were in working order after all. 

"I can survive prison, Will. What I couldn't survive is if something were to happen to you." It hurt, in a way. Making himself so vulnerable. His exposed muscle stung when the air touched it, Will's eyes like a burning alcohol to clean the wound, to keep it from festering. 

Will looked like he wanted to argue, but he lowered his head, speaking softly. "If I have to run, then you have to fight. If I see you surrender, I'll never forgive you." 

Hannibal leaned close. "Believe me when I say this: If you are waiting for me on the outside, there is not a cage on this earth that could hold me." 

Will's eyes fell shut. Hannibal sighed, the fear that he'd said too much settling over him like tightly packed snow. 

"Forgive me, I'm giving you unnecessary stress. With any luck, that scenario is a long way off." Hannibal made a move to stand, trying to ignore the twist of his insides. His own wounds were healing spectacularly, though he'd always been a naturally quick healer. The agony came from something deeper than flesh. 

"You're exhausted, I'll let you rest-" 

"Hannibal." 

Will caught his wrist, grip firm. This was it, Hannibal could feel it. When he turned Will would use the last of his strength to overpower him, fighting in that desperate, feral way that made Hannibal's heart race to think about. It was kind of him, that their last conversation had been so intimate. Merciful. 

Prepared to surrender, Hannibal turned back to Will. Will caught him by the jaw with his other hand, angled his chin toward him. Hannibal closed his eyes. 

Will lips brushed his own. The contact was so soft, yet it made every nerve in Hannibal's body sing his praises. Will moved in again, kissing him more solidly this time. The kiss was long and lingering, and Hannibal found himself too stunned to await any impact. If this was a ploy to bring his guard down, it had worked splendidly. Hannibal reached out, placing the hand Will wasn't gripping onto Will's chest. He didn't move to caress, simply held it there to ground himself. This was real, Will Graham was here, lips on his own. It was something he'd imagined hundreds upon thousands of times, but these fantasies predictably paled in comparison. 

When they parted, Will's eyes were trained on Hannibal's lips. Will smiled, and Hannibal felt frighteningly light-headed. He worried that he might be on the verge of fainting. 

Will tilted his head forward, letting his forehead land softly against Hannibal's. 

"Okay, maybe I am tired," Will murmured. The air from his small, breathy laugh hit Hannibal's cheek and his face felt suddenly very hot. 

"I can leave you to sleep," He offered again, but he made no move to stand. 

Will's grip on his wrist shifted downwards and he threaded their fingers together, squeezing softly. "Stay, Hannibal." 

It would've been a herculean task to deny Will of anything, but between the exact nature of the request and the rough, breathy quality the seawater had given Will's voice, it was hopeless to resist. 

The bed was small, too narrow for both of them. He placed another kiss on Will's lips, then moved to sit in the chair at his bedside. Will made himself comfortable, eyelids growing heavy. His hand dangled over the edge of the bed, waiting for Hannibal to take it. He did, of course. 

"I think I somehow managed to get lonely, even as I slept," Will mumbled, clearly struggling to remain lucid. He yawned. It was almost overwhelmingly endearing. "Besides, I prefer your company to being alone with my thoughts." 

Hannibal nodded, his anxieties from before seemed like distant memories now "I feel the same way."


End file.
